Performance Appraisal Methods
There are various methods for evaluating the employees’ performance and ensuring that the organizational goals are met. One of these methods is the graphic rating scale which involves rating an individual on the basis of specific attributes predetermined as prerequisites for a job. A discrete scale offers some points for every rating such that the rating for a poor performer may be one while an excellent individual may be awarded 20 points. Others who are between the rating of one and ten may have the characteristics of meets expectation, exceeds expectation, average, or any other (University of Minnesota, 2012). A continuous scale comprises of a scale on which the manager or supervisor puts a mark based on an employee’s level of performance. The second method is the essay appraisal which involves the manager’s evaluation of an employee by answering questions about the employee’s performance in an essay format. A third method is the management by objective where specific goals are set for an individual to accomplish within a specific timeframe, after which an evaluation takes place with both the employee and the manager considering whether the goals were met (University of Minnesota, 2012).
Strategies for Conducting an Appraisal Interview
The first strategy in conducting an appraisal interview is preparation. The manager needs to have clear goals and techniques for performance improvement. One should also anticipate the employee’s reaction. Again, the employee should also be well prepared in advance. In this sense, the employee should be provided with training, coaching and feedback, information about opportunities for improvement, and a chance for the correction of any faults. The location for the interview should also be set and the interview materials provided to the employee in advance (Marshall et al., 2014). A friendly environment is critical to ensure the success of the interview.
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Reliability of Appraisals
The reliability of appraisals is dependent on the method used. The management by objective method, for instance, can be said to be reliable because both the employee and the manager are involved in goal-setting and evaluation. Some appraisals are prone to bias, particularly where the manager is not always available to observe the employees conduct and get a true picture of his or her commitment to work to engage in accurate rating. The quality of the appraiser is also critical in determining the reliability of the appraisal. In this sense, some managers may not have good writing skills to enable them evaluate an employee using the essay rating method (University of Minnesota, 2012). This means that organizations should be vigilant in choosing the appraisers and the methods for appraisal to reduce chances of bias.
Criterion Deficiency and Contamination Issues
Depending on the appraisal method chosen, there may emerge criterion deficiency and contamination issues. Criterion deficiency occurs when an appraisal method fails to measure a specific aspect that is critical to a job. Criterion contamination occurs when some aspects are included in the wrong continuum of a job (National academy of sciences, n.d.). An example of a criterion deficiency may be when a secretary’s skill in word processing is excluded. An example of criterion contamination could be when an engineer is appraised on the basis of the work category of an employee in the production department rather than technology.
Rater Errors in Performance Appraisal
Rater errors entail those mistakes made by an appraiser based on perception and bias during the appraisal process. These errors include the halo effect which entails generalizations that are founded on an outstanding negative or positive aspect(s). The leniency error entails a rating that depicts all individuals as outstanding rather than relying on a true assessment of each individual. Strictness involves giving all individuals a low rating accompanied with negative criticisms of their performance. Contrast effect entails rating an individual relative to other employees rather than on the basis of the prerequisites of his or her job (Dartmouth College, n.d.). Others include central tendency, similar-to-effect, and first impression error.
References
Dartmouth College (n.d.). Human resources: Common rater errors. Retrieved from http://www.dartmouth.edu/~hrs/
Marshall, J., France, A., Pena, S. A., Rhees, G., & Bierbaum, P. (2014). Conducting a successful performance management interview. Retrieved from http://wp.cune.org/jillmarshall
National Academy of Sciences (n.d.). Evaluating the quality of performance measures: Criterion-related validity evidence. The National Academies Press. Retrieved from https://www.nap.edu/read
University of Minnesota (2012). Human resource management: Appraisal methods. Retrieved from http://open.lib.umn.edu/humanresourcemanagement
